'Umma' shows Korea's place in the horror genre

The theatrical poster for horror film ″Umma″ [SONY PICTURES RELEASING]

A Hollywood horror film that centers on the life of Korean immigrants hit theaters in the U.S. on Friday and it's called "Umma," the Korean word for mother.

Directed by Iris K. Shim, “Umma” stars Sandra Oh, Fivel Stewart and Dermot Mulroney. Oh plays a Korean immigrant named Amanda, who raises a daughter on a remote farm in the U.S. However, Amanda gets haunted by the vengeful spirit of her own abusive mother.

“After Korean horror’s recent explosion in popularity, director Iris Shim’s 'Umma' blends scares with concepts that cut deep for members of the diaspora," NBC reported on Wednesday. "The guilt often passed from parent to child, the lack of acknowledgement of mental illness in immigrant families and the silent struggle of Asian mothers are themes that Shim said she was itching to explore on film.”

Director Shim told NBC that she drew inspiration from her own experiences with the “complex and imperfect” Asian mother-daughter relationships depicted in the film.

“Umma” is Shim’s debut feature. She previously directed the documentary “The House of Suh” (2010), which tells the story of a Korean-American family’s tragic history.

Whether “Umma” will be released in Korea has not been disclosed.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]